This Was It
by WhatIfTwilight
Summary: WHAT IF? What if JACOB did NOT imprint on RENESMEE? Story starts with Jacob leaving the room after Bella gives birth, goes to the end of the book. Multiple POV.
1. Beginning

**Chapter 1 - Beginning**

_Jacob's Point of View_

This was it, then. The ocean of pain. The other shore so far away across the boiling water that I couldn't imagine it, much less see it.

I felt empty again, now that I'd lost my purpose. Saving Bella had been my fight for so long now. And she wouldn't be saved. She'd willingly sacrificed herself to be torn apart by that monster's young, and so the fight was lost. It was all over.

I shuddered at the sound coming from behind me as I plodded down the stairs – the sound of a dead heart being forced to thud.

I wanted to somehow pour bleach inside my head and let it fry my brain. To burn away the images left from Bella's final minutes. I'd take the brain damage if I could get rid of that – the screaming, the bleeding, the unbearable crunching and snapping as the newborn monster tore through her from the inside out...

I wanted to sprint away, to take the stairs ten at a time and race out the door, but my feet were heavy as iron and my body was more tired than it had ever been before. I shuffled down the stairs like a crippled old man.

I rested at the bottom step, gathering my strength to get out the door.

Rosalie was on the clean end of the white sofa, her back to me, cooing and murmuring to the blanket-wrapped thing in her arms. She must have heard me pause, but she ignored me, caught up in her moment of stolen motherhood. Maybe she would be happy now. Rosalie had what she wanted, and Bella would never come to take the creature from her. I wondered if that's what the poisonous blonde had been hoping for all along.

She held something dark in her hands, and there was a greedy sucking sound coming from the tiny murderer she held.

The scent of blood in the air. Human blood. Rosalie was feeding it. Of course it would want blood. What else would you feed the kind of monster that would brutally mutilate its on mother? I might as well have been drinking Bella's blood. Maybe it was.

My strength came back to me as I listened to the sound of the little executioner feeing.

Strength and hate and heat – red heat washing though my head, burning but erasing nothing. The images in my head were fuel, building up the inferno but refusing to be consumed. I felt the tremors rock me from head to toe, and I did not try to stop them.

Rosalie was totally absorbed in the creature, paying no attention to me at all. She wouldn't be quick enough to stop me, distracted as she was.

Sam had been right. The thing was an aberration – its existence went against nature. A black, soulless demon. Something that had no right to be.

Something that had to be destroyed.

The pull that I felt earlier had evaporated, a sure sign that Bella's life was no longer linked to mine. There was nothing that could stop me from destroying her killer spawn. If she'd survived, she would have hated me for this. She would have wanted to kill me personally.

Not wanting to take another step towards the abomination, I stood my ground and thought about what would happen if I stayed on my course. Rosalie would try to kill me when the creature was dead, and I would fight back. I wasn't sure if I would have time to finish her before the others came to help. Maybe, maybe not. I didn't much care either way.

I didn't care if the wolves, either set, avenged me or called the Cullens' justice fair. None of the mattered. All I cared about was my own justice. _My_ revenge. The thing that had killed Bella would not live another minute longer.

Why should I care what anyone thought? Bella didn't care what she had done to me – letting herself be slaughtered like an animal. Why should I take her feelings into account?

And then there was Edward. He must be too busy now – too far gone in his insane denial, trying to reanimate a corpse – to listen to my plans.

So I wouldn't get the chance to keep my promise to him, unless – and it was not a wager _I'd_ put money on – I managed to win the fight against Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice, three on one. But even if I did win, I didn't think I had it in me to kill Edward.

Because I didn't have enough compassion for that. Why should I let him get away from what he'd done? Wouldn't it be more fair – more satisfying - to let him live with nothing, nothing at all?

It made me almost smile, as filled with hate as I was to imagine it. No Bella. No killer Spawn. And also missing as many members of his family as I was able to take down. Of course, he could probably put those back together, since I wouldn't be around to burn them. Unlike Bella, who would never be whole again.

I wondered if the creature could be put back together. I doubted it. It was part Bella, too – so it must have inherited some of her vulnerability. I could hear that in the tiny, thrumming beat of its heart.

Its heart was beating. Hers wasn't.

Only a second had passed as I made these easy decisions.

The trembling was getting tighter and faster. I coiled myself, preparing to spring at the blond vampire and rip the murderous thing from her arms with my teeth.

Rosalie cooed at the creature again, setting the empty metal bottle-thing aside and lifting the creature into the air to nuzzle her face against its cheek.

Perfect. The new position was perfect for my strike.

The murderer stared past Rosalie's shoulder at me, its gaze more focused than any newborn creature's gaze should be.

Warm brown eyes, the color of milk chocolate – the exact same color that Bella's had been.

My body jerked to a stop. The eyes were my only distraction for what I was about to do. For a split second I remembered Bella, my Bella, with her beautiful brown eyes, eyes that would never open again.

It was in this moment that Rosalie finally noticed my pause, and I realized my mistake as soon as she did. I shouldn't have been so distracted. I had lost my perfect chance.

Rosalie got up faster than even I could see, ran into a far room and locked the door. Like that would stop me. Nothing could touch me in this moment. The creature needed to die.

I harnessed what energy I had and phased into the ferocious beast I had lived as for so long. My wolf instincts guiding me, I rammed my entire body into the wall of the adjoining room, bursting a giant hole where my body had been.

Standing there, unphased by my appearance, were three bloodsuckers, creating a protective shield in front of the thing. Perfect. At least it wasn't in anyone's arms. Once the bloodsuckers were distracted, it would be vulnerable.

It was in this moment that I noticed an absence of voices in my head. Where were Seth and Leah? Seth was a friend of the leeches, wouldn't he be trying to stop me?

I couldn't dwell on the revelation. The opportunity was in front of me. However, I knew from my earlier thoughts that I probably wouldn't be able to win this fight. So be it.

Focus on the prize, hopefully survive long enough to kill it, maybe take some of the other bloodsuckers with me.

It was then that I hear the only sound that could touch me in this instant.

A frantic pounding, a racing beat...

A changing heart.


	2. Reinforcements

**Chapter 2 – Reinforcements **

_Jacob's Point of View_

The Cullens. If only they had the guts to kill me then, when I was in front of all of them, confused by what I was hearing upstairs. Bella wasn't dead. She was starting a journey of pain and torture, sure to last days, only to become something that was inhuman, a monster.

Did what I felt towards Bella matter in this moment? I didn't think so. I still wanted to tear her devil spawn to pieces. There were only two things that had stopped me.

Firstly, despite my bloodlust towards the thing, I knew I couldn't beat the blonde mommy-wannabe, the experienced vampire fighter and his erratic wife together. I needed backup. I didn't want to risk not accomplishing anything but my own death.

Secondly, I knew that since Bella's heart was beating again, Edward would soon realize what was happening and step in. Although the future seer had no power over me, Edward did, and I knew that even the most experienced fighter would have trouble fighting someone who could foresee your every move.

No. I needed help. I could see the irony in my decision. I needed Sam. Leah wouldn't be happy. Neither would Seth. Where were they? I was running away from the house, through the forest. Shouldn't they be nearby?

I decided to go to the one place that I knew I could find support. Back to La Push.

Once I reached my house – my father's house, if I was still unwelcome and homeless – I phased back to my human form and ran in to my room to get some clothes. It looked like Rachel was using my room after all.

I wonder what would happen if the others knew I was back on Sam's pack's land. If I was encroaching on property that wasn't mine, I didn't care. No one could hurt me.

I heard a knock on my door. I looked up.

"I was hoping you'd come back." Billy was in the doorway, obviously trying to block me in if he could.

I didn't answer. I wasn't back, not really. I just needed to talk to Sam.

I threw on some clothes and swung myself out of the bedroom window. No need to start any unpleasant conversations.

Once outside I realized that Sam and the others were already waiting for me.

Already phased back into humans, they were obviously a bit wary of why I decided to impose on their company.

"Jacob." Sam spoke first.

I decided to just explain the situation as easily as I could.

"Bella had her... baby." I struggled for the right word. No need to show my weakness too much.

The others looked disgusted. Rightfully so. Some, however, looked relieved. Maybe they too didn't like the idea of killing Bella just to get at her spawn. Just wait until they hear what she's become.

"What about Bella? Is she alive?" I didn't look to see who had spoken.

"No. She's not. She's... changing." Once again I struggled for a word. 'Turning into a soulless bloodsucking creature' didn't seem quite appropriate.

More disgusted looks. Some gasping. Sam spoke first again.

"Jacob, why have you come back?"

"I need your help. A few of the bloodsuckers as still gone and I know that this is the only opportunity we would have to kill the... thing."

"That's uh... quite a change of heart, Jacob"

I couldn't blame Sam for being skeptical. Hell, earlier I had broken off from the pack I was so against him.

"Well, it's different now. Bella's gone."

"Are you returning to the pack, Jacob?" Sam spoke with convincing authority.

"Yes."

**A/N - I post a new chapter every 2 days *guaranteed* so please keep coming back! **


	3. Ambush

**Chapter 3 - Ambush**

_Jacob's Point of View_

Plans for the attack were going great. I still had no idea where Leah and Seth were, but I couldn't care less. We discovered that after rejoining the pack, I could hear my fellow packmates once again while I was in wolf form. I still couldn't hear Leah and Seth. Perhaps it was my change of heart that broke our connection.

The plan was to stage an ambush of the Cullen house, with more than half the pack attacking aggressively to the front of the house. Only Sam, Jared and I were going around the back of the house, trying to find a hidden advantage.

We figured that the suddenness of the fight would lure the Cullens out into the open and force them to fight for themselves and their loved ones. We suspected, however, that Edward would refuse to leave his unconscious wife, which is why there were three of us trying to find a way in. We also knew that he would see us coming, which is why the attack had to be fast.

We decided that the attack would happen that night, before Carlisle and the others would have a chance to return home. It would be an easy victory if all went according to plan.

When night finally did come, it seemed like everyone was eager to fight.

_Everyone ready? Paul? Embry?_

_Yeah we're ready, let's go!_

_Yeah! Let's kill some bloodsuckers!_

_What about the rest of you?_

_Shut it, Sam, let's just go!_

_Yeah, quit stalling!_

_What about you, Jacob? You sure about this?_

I didn't hesitate.

_Let's do this._

We ran through the forest, the sickening vampire stench as our guide.

As we came up closer and closer, we noticed that something was off. Something was different than we expected. A different smell. A familiar scent.

_No!_

This scent was coming from beside us. We heard them before we saw them. Leah and Seth pounced out from the trees, lunging for our necks.

A fight broke out, though it wasn't much of a fight. Sam and a couple others, myself included, refused to do any lasting damage to Leah. Seth, on the other hand, seemed to be off limits by not just us, but by the entire pack. Anyone that Seth attacked just fell to the ground, unwilling to retaliate.

This one-way battle was crippling. No one was hurt, but we couldn't seem to get past them. No one did any lasting damage. It was almost like we were fighting against someone's imprint, it went against our instincts.

As time went on, it was clear in everyone's mind that we had lost the proverbial element of surprise, as unsurprising as it might have been. Edward would surely have noticed the fighting by now, but I was surprised that none of the leeches had come out to fight. Surely Emmett would have jumped at the opportunity? It seemed hardly fair for the Cullens to ask two of _our_ friends to go against flesh and blood and fight for them.

The thought turned over and over in my mind. A couple of the other wolves noticed my thoughts and remarked on them, thinking about how the situation should have been different. Something was off. The Cullens wouldn't stay away from fighting unless...

A wave of terror washed over me.

The Cullens wouldn't stay away from fighting unless they weren't there to fight.

They wouldn't stay away unless this whole thing with Leah and Seth had been a distraction. A distraction, so that the rest of the Cullens could leave town with Bella and the little creature, somewhere where I – we – would never find them.

Upon my realization, I stopped fighting and turned back the way I came. The rest of the pack would have heard my plans. As long as they kept Leah and Seth busy, I would find a path around them to the Cullen house.

When I arrived at the house, my thoughts were almost confirmed. The stink of vampires was still present, though only faint. I phased back into a human and ran up to the door. I wasn't concerned about my nakedness; I simply needed to know whether my fears were justified.

I opened the door, and what I saw was numbing.

Actually, it was more of what I didn't see, what I didn't smell. There was nothing out of place in the room. In fact, it looked like no one had been there in days. The smell indicated that the house had been empty for nearly an hour. The scent that followed the vampires was long gone.

Bella was long gone.

**A/N - Please Review!**


	4. Edward

**Chapter 4 - Edward**

_Edward's Point of View_

I tried so hard for her. I knew that all she wanted was this baby – our baby. Who was I to deny her that? But it hurt her. I couldn't deny that either.

Also, it was too close. There are no words to describe my fear, my pain, knowing that I might lose her.

But then there she was.

Renesmee.

My beautiful baby girl.

I could only admire her beauty for a second, because I had to attend to my swiftly dying wife.

I moved fast. Faster than any human eyes could see. I injected a vial of my venom into her heart, and then bit her several times, hoping to shorten the transformation process and to make it more likely for her to survive.

It worked.

After working over her limp body, trying to force her heart to beat, I was finally able to start a pulse, a strong enough one to start spreading the venom. My Bella was going to be okay, and she was going to be beautiful.

My relief was short lived, however, when I heard the panic of Alice's thoughts downstairs.

_Edward Edward Edward... _

I saw the direction of her thoughts and growled. Jacob was towering over the three of them, Rosalie, Jasper and little Alice, who were the only defense between him and my daughter.

I didn't want to leave my Bella, but I had to protect Renesmee. Without her, this whole situation would have been avoidable. Bella's near-death experience and transformation would have never happened, and perhaps Jacob would have remained friendly. But, she was my daughter, and was – I could only assume – an essential part of Bella's life, as well as my own.

Jacob couldn't hurt her.

Jacob seemed to hear Bella's heart beat as the rest of them had, because he stopped short and ran away once the sound started. It was my only relief.

I heard Jacob's abstract thoughts as he ran. He was going back to La Push, to get help from Sam to come and kill us. He wanted us all dead, Bella included. Renesmee especially. I needed to protect them.

I ran downstairs to find my daughter. She was back in Rosalie's arms after the incident, but reached out to me when she saw me.

_Daddy I'm scared. _

I don't think I will ever forget that tone. I took her in my hands and held her. I wouldn't let her go. Renesmee nuzzled her face into my chest, drifting into sleep. It only took me a moment to remember what had happened and that I was furious.

"Rosalie, what happened?" I all but snapped at my sister. She was supposed to be watching over Renesmee.

"I don't know, Jacob just came up behind me and all of a sudden I felt afraid. I could tell something was wrong. I was worried about Renesmee so I ran to find Alice and Jasper and told them what was going on."

I had to say, I was very grateful towards Rosalie. I saw in her thoughts what had happened. The feeling of fear seemed to have come from nowhere. She must have had to be very perceptive to connect Jacob's blank face to his thoughts of murdering my daughter. She was wise to run. I owed her.

"We stood in front of her, then Jacob bust through the wall and we thought we would have to fight. Then, we all heard Bella's heart beat, and he just ran away."

"Edward, did you catch any of what he was thinking?" Alice was just as concerned as I was. As concerned as Rosalie too.

"Not until after he ran. He's going back to La Push to get help from Sam and his pack. He wants us dead."

Shock and anger emanated from my siblings.

_How Dare he! Doesn't he remember that we put up with him? How could he just turn on us like that?_

_What does that mean for Bella? What does that mean for all of us? I wish I could see what was coming._

_I guess we should have expected something like this. They are young werewolves after all. _

My sibling's thoughts rushed through my head.

"What's important right now is that we have to get Bella and Renesmee out of here."

"I don't think that will be very effective, Edward." Jasper's reason played out in his head.

"Jasper's right. If Jacob gets to Sam and convinces him to attack, he'll most likely do it tonight, since he knows that Carlisle and the others aren't home."

Jasper and Alice's logic crippled me. What escape was there? If we left immediately, the wolves would surely pick up our scent. We would have no freedom.

"What other solution is there? We can't possibly protect both Bella and Renesmee and still fight off an entire pack of werewolves by ourselves."

I thought that the others would understand this. I wouldn't risk losing either of them.

"Edward, we will just have to think of something else. No one is willing to risk Renesmee."

Just then, I heard a voice – no, a thought – calling my name from outside. It was Seth.

_Edward man, I think Jacob's gone. Leah and I can't hear him. We watched him leave though he seemed pretty upset. Is Bella ok? We're coming to the door._

My siblings turned then, hearing the two humans coming up to the door. I rushed to open it for them.

"Bella's fine, she's beginning the transformation. Jacob's not though, I heard him on his way out." I took a breath. "He's planning on conscripting Sam's pack to kill us."

_That's hardly fair. The Cullens have been nothing but hospitable to us. _

"Why would he want to do that?"

"He believes that Sam was right and that Renesmee is a threat. We believe they plan on attacking tonight but we don't know how to proceed. We don't have time to run but we don't want to risk losing members of our family either."

I figured that talking honestly with Seth and Leah would be the best option. If anyone knew Sam and his pack, they would. I was held up in my own thoughts when I heard one from Leah.

_Let us go. Let us distract them while you escape. They won't hurt us. _

"No. Absolutely not."

"What, Edward?" Alice looked at me curiously, as did the rest of them.

"Leah thinks they should sacrifice themselves so we can run."

"No Leah! We would never ask you to do that!" Alice sounded like Esme.

"No, listen. Sam would never hurt me. Neither would Jacob. Even if some of them attack for real, I'm a tough fighter. I can hold them off. And everyone loves Seth, they won't want to hurt him either." Leah was being quite convincing. I heard my family's agreement to Leah's plan.

_She has a point, Edward. We could run while they are distracted. Isn't it worth Bella's life? And Renesmee's?_

_Edward, you have to admit it's a good plan. Anyways, it would be good to have the stink gone. _

I flinched at Rosalie's comment, it was completely insensitive. But, it was Alice's thoughts that I was focusing on in this moment.

_It's going to work Edward, I saw it._ I saw a flicker of a recent vision, Alice's only vision from the last few days. Jasper and I, settling on a new house with a real estate agent. In the vision I was smiling. That could only mean that we all got out all right.

"Okay, I trust you. All of you. And that means that I trust you with the lives of my wife and daughter as well, which I do not take lightly." I turned to Leah and Seth. "How long do you think you can hold them off?"

_A couple hours, tops. Seth and I will go out now and try to head them off. You'll know when they've reached us? _I nodded.

_Okay, great. Don't worry about us, Edward. We just want to make sure you guys get out all right. You guys aren't all that bad. _I laughed humorlessly.

"Thank you, Leah, Seth. You don't know what this means to me and my family."

_Don't mention it._

And they ran off into the woods.

I turned back towards my family.

"I will let you know when the fight starts, then we only have an hour." I felt the anxiety pulse through me, then the calm as Jasper used his ability. After regaining my composure, I focused on what needed to happen next.

"Alice, call Carlisle."


	5. Burning

**Chapter 5 - Burning**

_Bella's Point of View_

The pain of transformation was torturous. It was a fire, burning inside me, blazing, scalding. James, snapping my leg under his foot. That was nothing. That was a soft place to rest on a feather bed. I'd take that now, a hundred times. A hundred snaps. I'd take it and be grateful.

The baby, kicking my ribs apart, breaking her way through me piece by piece. That was nothing. That was floating in a pool of cool water. I'd take it a thousand times. Take it and be grateful.

The fire blazed hotter and I wanted to scream. To beg for someone to kill me now, before I lived one more second in this pain. But I couldn't move my lips. The weight was still there, pressing on me.

I realized it wasn't the darkness I felt earlier holding me down; it was my body. So heavy. Burying me in the flames that were chewing their way out from my heart now, spreading with impossible pain through my shoulders and stomach, scalding their way up my throat, licking at my face.

Why couldn't I move? Why couldn't I scream? This wasn't part of the stories.

My mind was unbearably clear – sharpened by the fierce pain – and I saw the answer almost as soon as I could form the questions.

The morphine.

It seemed like a million deaths ago that we'd discussed it – Edward, Carlisle, and I. Edward and Carlisle had hoped that enough painkillers would help fight the pain of the venom. Carlisle had tried with Emmett, but the venom had burned ahead of the medicine, sealing his veins. There hadn't been time for it to spread.

I hadn't guessed that the morphine would have this effect – that it would pin me down and gag me. Hold me paralyzed while I burned.

All I wanted was to die. To never have been born. The whole of my existence did not outweigh this pain. Wasn't worth living through it for one more heartbeat.

Let me die, let me die, let me die.

Through the pain, I was only vaguely aware that I was being carried. I couldn't move my limbs, I couldn't open my eyes. It infuriated me that couldn't tell the person carrying me that I gave up, that I was ready to die, if it meant the pain would be over. I hoped that the person carrying me was a murderer, a rapist, someone who would gladly get rid of me.

Please, God, let it not be Edward. I couldn't count on him to kill me.

I could only hear muted noises, but I was somewhat aware that I was no longer on a bed, and that someone was angry. Furious. The ground around me was shaking. I focused on the shaking, vibrating. Anything to keep me from focusing on the burning.

After an endless time, the vibrating stopped. I cursed whatever foul demon was causing this pain. Tempting me with distractions then stealing them away. The flames licked around my body. They were unavoidable now. Whoever held me now was surely about to ease my pain, right? Couldn't they see that I was on fire? Wouldn't they throw me into the water? Throw me into a well, into a whirlpool. I don't care if I drown. It would be a beautiful release.

As suddenly as my distractions began, they ended. The demon was tempting me again, giving me hope, then crushing it. There was nothing left to distract me from the pain.

My only distracting release from the flames was when the vibrating returned. This time I wasn't aware of anything. The only thing I was consciously aware of was when the vibrating stopped.

And, for a never-ending space, that was all there was. Just the fiery torture, and my soundless shrieks, pleading for death to come. Nothing else, not even time. So that made it infinite, with no beginning and no end. One infinite moment of pain.

The only change came when suddenly, impossibly, my pain was doubled. The lower half of my body, deadened since before the morphine, was suddenly on fire, too. Some broken connection had been healed – knitted together by the scorching fingers of the flame.

The endless burn raged on.

**A/N - Please Review!**


	6. Continued

**Chapter 6 - Continued**

_Bella's Point of View_

If could have been seconds or days, weeks or years, but, eventually, time came to mean something again.

Three things happened together, grew from each other so that I didn't know which came first: time restarted, the morphine's weight faded, and I got stronger.

I knew that time restarted when I could move my fingers again. I knew it, but did not act upon it. I developed a new capacity for experiencing the burning – a new sensitivity to appreciate, separately, each blistering tongue of flame that licked through my veins – I discovered that I could think around it.

I remembered why I shouldn't scream. I remembered why I'd committed to enduring this endurable agony.

The distractions that were present before revealed themselves in a new light. Before, I couldn't focus, I couldn't hear, I could only feel subtle vibrations, and that was my only relief. Now, after enduring endless torture, the demon had finally taken pity, and had provided more distractions for me.

My mind was clearing and I was able to count.

I counted the frantic, pounding beats of my heart to mark the time.

I could count the shallow breaths that gasped through my teeth.

I counted the low, even breaths that came from somewhere close beside me.

I continued to get stronger, my thoughts clearer. When new noises came, I could listen.

There were light footsteps, the whisper of air stirred by an opening door. The footsteps got closer, and I felt pressure against the inside of my wrist. I couldn't feel the coolness of the fingers. The fire blistered away every memory of cool.

"Still no change?"

"None."

"There's no scent of the morphine left."

"I know."

"Bella? Can you hear me?"

I knew, beyond all doubt, that if I unlocked my teeth I would lose it – I would shriek and screech and writhe and thrash. If I opened my eyes, if I so much as twitched a finger – any change at all would be the end of my control.

"Bella? Bella, love? Can you open your eyes? Can you squeeze my hand?"

Pressure on my fingers. It was harder not to answer this voice, but I stayed paralyzed. I knew that the pain in his voice now was nothing compared to what it could be. Right now he only feared that I was suffering.

"Maybe... Carlisle, maybe I was too late. Maybe we weren't supposed to move her. Maybe we changed something we weren't supposed to."

"Listen to her heart, Edward. It's stronger than even Emmett's was. And you made the right decision to move her. You had no other choice. I can't see how that would affect the transformation."

I was moved? Why? Was that the vibrations I felt?

"But what about the others? None of them were moved. The closest was you, and you had the energy to move yourself. Bella hasn't even twitched. She hasn't made a sound."

"Everyone's experiences are different, Edward. Rosalie was quite vocal, but I remained hidden. Alice doesn't even remember her transformation. The process is different for everybody, don't worry. She'll be perfect."

Yes, I was right to keep quiet. Carlisle would reassure him. Edward didn't need to suffer with me.

Carlisle left the room, and I was forced to resume my counting of Edward's breaths to mark the time.

Ten thousand, nine hundred forty-three breaths later, a different set of footsteps whispered into the room. Lighter. More... rhythmic.

Strange that I could distinguish the minute differences between footsteps that I'd never been able to hear at all before today.

"How is she?"

Alice.

"Same as always. I'm so worried, Alice. What if we did something wrong in moving her?"

"Relax, Edward. I can see her so much better. Bella's almost too easy to see now. She's going to be dazzling."

"How much longer?"

"Not long now. Give me a sec – "

Quiet breathing.

"Thank you, Alice."

How long? Couldn't they at least say it aloud for me? Was that too much to ask? How many more seconds would I burn? Ten thousand? Twenty? Another day – eighty-six thousand, four hundred? More than that?

I heard Alice breeze out of the room. I heard the swish of the fabric she moved, rubbing against itself. I heard the quiet buzz of the light hanging from the ceiling. I heard the faint wind brushing against the outside of the house. I could hear everything.

But, something wasn't right.

Firstly, there seemed to be no sound coming from below me. There was a ball game on TV but it was coming from much closer. Too close. Sounded like it was coming from the other side of the wall. The Mariners were winning by two runs.

Also, I heard noises coming from above me. Footsteps, voices.

"What should we do about the garage?" I heard Esme ask someone. Was there something wrong with the garage?

I listened for more, but there was nothing, so I listened to Edward's breathing again, counting the seconds.

Waiting for the pain to end.


	7. Waking Up

**Chapter 7 – Waking up**

_Bella's Point of View_

The last processes in my transformation were slow and drawn out. The thrashing pain had receded from my extremities and climaxed in my chest, in my heart. My heartbeat raced, then stopped.

It was finally over.

When I finally woke up from the burning, there were two things that I noticed.

Firstly, was how everything was so clear.

Sharp. Defined.

The brilliant light overhead was still blinding-bright, and yet I could plainly see the glowing strands of the filaments inside the bulb. I could see each color of the rainbow in the white light, and, at the very edge of the spectrum, an eighth color I had no name for.

The second thing I noticed almost as quickly as the first. 

We were no longer in the Cullen house.

I was in a room with cedar planks along the walls and ceiling, like a log cabin. The scent was musky and rich, a smell I wouldn't have noticed before. I could distinguish the individual grains in the wood.

Where was I?

Perhaps a murderer or rapist had in fact kidnapped me, except that I remember hearing Esme's voice, and Alice's, and…

Edward.

I searched the room for a sign of the familiar, and I finally saw it.

Edward's face.

How many times had I stared at Edward and marveled over his beauty? How many hours – days, weeks – of my life had I spent dreaming about what I then deemed to be perfection? I thought I'd known his face better than my own. I'd thought this was the one sure physical thing in my whole world: the flawlessness of Edward's face.

I may as well have been blind.

For the first time, with the dimming shadows and limiting weakness of humanity taken off my eyes, I saw his face. I gasped and then struggled with my vocabulary, unable to find the right words. I needed better words.

Despite Edward being there – he consistently calmed me, though I wasn't ruling out Jasper just yet – I had a feeling of anxiety, a defensive instinct that told me to fear the unknown. This room was unknown. Where were we?

I saw my vampire family against the far wall by the door, Emmett and Jasper in the front. Almost like they were protecting them against a threat, like I was the threat. Perhaps I was, I was a newborn vampire after all.

However, I couldn't help my anxiety and I could see that Jasper was getting nervous as well. I remembered what everyone said about newborns, how they often couldn't control their emotions. I tried to reign in my anxiety, and I could tell that Jasper was relaxing in synchrony to me.

"Bella?" Edward asked in a low, calming tone, but the worry in his voice layered my name with tension.

I could not answer immediately, temporarily lost as I was in the velvet folds of his voice.

"Bella, love? I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting. But you're all right. Everything is fine."

But I had a feeling not everything was fine. I opened my mouth for the first time with the question that I felt to be most pressing.

"Edward, where are we?" I said, but it sounded like singing. My voice rang and shimmered like a bell.

I could see Edward wince slightly, and Jasper taking a step forward.

"Bella, love, we're in a cabin outside of Ocean Falls, BC."

BC? As in, Canada?

"What are we doing here?"

Edward looked to his family nervously, but replied calmly.

"We're just staying here for a bit while you get adjusted." He was hiding something from me. I looked around and didn't see Rosalie. Or my daughter.

"Where's Renesmee?"

Edward hesitated for a moment. "She's with Rosalie."

"Why?" Surely a mother should be allowed to see her daughter.

It was Carlisle who answered.

"Renesmee's half human, Bella. And you're a newborn vampire."

I didn't think about it that way. I assumed I would be a risk to be around humans once I was changed, but to my own daughter?

"Oh, I'm sorry Bella," Carlisle apologized. "Of course your thirst must be very uncomfortable."

Until he'd mentioned it, the thirst actually wasn't unmanageable. There was so much room in my head. A separate part of my brain was keeping tabs on the burn in my throat, almost like a reflex. The way my old brain had handled breathing and blinking.

But Carlisle's assumption brought the burn to the forefront of my mind. Suddenly, the dry ache was all I could think about, and the more I thought about it, the more it hurt. My hand few up to cup my throat, like I could smother the flames from the outside. The skin of my neck was strange beneath my fingers. So smooth it was somehow soft, though it was hard as stone, too.

Edward took my hand, tugging gently. "Let's hunt, Bella."


	8. Talented

**Chapter 8 - Talented**

_Renesmee's Point of View_

My earliest memories were from when I was in my Momma's tummy. I remember hearing Momma's voice. I remember hearing Daddy's voice. I remember that I was hurting her and that I had to stop moving around so much. Sorry Momma.

There was one moment through all that where I remember couldn't breathe. I remember heard shouting but I was distracted. Someone needed to let me out!

Suddenly there were bring lights, and I was in someone's arms.

"Renesmee."

It was Daddy.

"Let me... Give her to me."

I was suddenly I was touching Momma's arms, they were warm. A good warmth.

"Renesmee," She whispered. "So... beautiful."

I smiled. She was the beautiful one.

She pulled me closer to her and I noticed that her skin smelled amazing. I burrowed my face against her chest and couldn't help myself. I bit into flesh.

I was pulled away from her before I could taste anything.

"No, Renesmee" I was embarrassed, and a little hurt. Why couldn't I bite her if Momma smelled so good?

I was then moved into another set of cold arms. They carried me downstairs and sat down. I looked up at my carrier. She was beautiful. Her long blonde hair was so pretty. She held something up to me and I could smell its deliciousness. Whatever it was smelled better than Momma. I grabbed it with my hands and started sucking on it. It was amazing.

When it was empty, the blonde lady put the container down and held me up to her face. I looked past her and what I saw was terrifying.

Past her head I saw a man, dark skin, very tall. He was starring at me. No, glaring was the right word. He looked like he wanted to kill me.

I instinctively raised my hand and put it up against the pretty lady's face. I wanted her to know how afraid I was.

Getting the message, she stood up and ran to another room, carrying me. She put me down on a nice soft surface. I looked up there were two others there too. Where was Daddy?

Suddenly there was a loud crash and a giant wolf was standing in front of us. I was scared.

I wanted my Momma and Daddy.

I heard something upstairs. I couldn't tell what it was but everyone else seemed to hear it too. The big wolf man ran away and the pretty lady picked me up in her arms.

"It's okay, Renesmee. He's not going to hurt you."

That's when I saw Daddy come through the door. I reached out to him. I didn't want to be scared anymore. He took me and held me in his arms, and I was no longer afraid.

I wasn't really listening to anything after that. I was safe in Daddy's arms. I just wanted to rest, I was tired. From what I could make out, people were angry and afraid but had some kind of reassurance. I could tell that I was being carried outside. I knew Momma was too, I could smell her. We left the house and drove for a few hours until we stopped at different building. This one had tons of cars in front of it and a lot of rooms. It was too noisy. I slept soundly though because I never left my Daddy's arms.

We stayed there a couple days, in a generic room with a TV and two beds. Momma slept on one, the rest of my family didn't sleep. My grandparents and uncle Emmett showed up almost immediately after we arrived. Grandpa Carlisle said he was fascinated with me. Four times a day he measures me to see how much I've grown. They all say I'm special.

After I woke up on our first day there, I decided to try something on my aunt Rosalie. I remembered what I had done to her the day I was born, when I touched her face. I thought about putting my thoughts into her head and it just happened. I didn't need to put my thoughts into Daddy's head, he could already hear me, but I wanted to try it with someone else.

I looked up at Rosalie – I was already in her arms – and reached out my hand to her face.

When I touched it, she gasped. The rest of the family turned to see the cause of her reaction.

I showed her what I remembered of Momma when she was awake, her voice, her warmth. I wondered why she was still sleeping.

Daddy looked over at me.

"What was that?"

"What was what? Edward? Rosalie?" Everyone was looking at me.

"She... she showed me Bella." Of course I did. I wanted to know why Momma wasn't awake yet.

"She did that?" Daddy looked stunned.

"Can you show me, Renesmee?" Grandma Esme came closer and I reached out to her and touched her face. I showed her what I showed Rosalie.

This time it was Esme who gasped. Daddy was beaming.

"What is it, Edward?"

"She's projecting her thoughts, Carlisle."

"Interesting, it's like she's using the opposite ability as you."

Daddy and Grandpa Carlisle talked for a long time. The rest of my family simply crowded around me, asking me to show them what I showed Rosalie and Esme. I showed them all, until someone finally answered my wordless question.

"Your Momma will wake up in a couple days, Renesmee, and you can see her then. She's going to love you more than all of us put together." I smiled. I hoped that Momma would love me, even after I hurt her so much, but I doubted she could love me more than Daddy.

Daddy noticed my thoughts and smiled.


	9. Renesmee

**Chapter 9 - Renesmee**

_Renesmee's Point of View_

Daddy and Jasper had to leave for a few hours, so I stayed home with my aunts and grandparents and uncle Emmett. I loved to play with them. When Daddy and uncle Jasper finally came home, we were packing again. I wondered where we were going, but I was happy to leave the room we were in. It was too crowded.

We drove for a while until we got to a big, beautiful wooden house by a lake. It was surrounded by trees so there were no neighbors. The lake sparkled in the moonlight, it was so beautiful. Daddy carried me inside. Inside the house was just as beautiful as the outside. There was already furniture, simple and rustic. I touched Daddy on the cheek and showed him how much I loved the house.

"This is going to be our house for a long time, Renesmee."

I knew I was going to love it here.

The next day I was excited, because Momma finally woke up.

I couldn't hold my excitement, but Daddy insisted that I stay with Rosalie in the TV room until Momma was ready. I wasn't happy about that, but it must have been important.

After what seemed like forever, Momma came in through the front door.

She was so beautiful.

"I was out just two days?" Momma stared at me. Why didn't she remember me? I remembered her. I had been waiting for her. I missed her. I put my hand up to Rosalie's neck and asked if that was really Momma.

"Yes, that's her." I smiled.

I reached out to her, wanting to be in her arms finally. But no one let me. Momma was still staring at me. The rest of my family was talking about something else. I didn't listen. I just wanted Momma.

I reached and struggled, but aunt Rosalie wouldn't let me go. It was very irritating. Why weren't they letting me go? I let out a high, ringing wail.

My whole family came to hold me, everyone but the one I wanted. Why wasn't she coming? Frustrated, I twisted around and put my hand on aunt Rosalie's cheek.

I wanted Momma.

"Relax, guys." Rosalie told them. "She just wants Bella."

"She wants me?" Momma whispered.

I stared at her impatiently. I had been waiting almost three days for her.

"She's been waiting for you for almost three days," Daddy relayed for me.

Finally, Momma reached to me and took me in her arms. I settled into her cool skin. I was happy. I remembered that Momma was curious about my growth and that I looked different than she remembered. I wanted to show her that I remembered her.

I reached up and touched Momma's face.

She gasped. "What... was... that?"

"What did you see?" Rosalie asked, "What did she show you?"

"She showed me that?"

"I told you it was hard to explain," Daddy told her. "But effective as means of communications go."

"What was it?" uncle Emmett asked.

"Um. Me. I think. But I looked terrible."

"It was the only memory she had of you," Daddy explained. It was. I wanted more. "She's letting you know that she's made the connection, that she knows who you are."

"But how did she do that?"

I wasn't paying much attention to the rest of the conversation. I was just happy to finally be in Momma's arms. I looked up at her and started playing with a lock of her hair.

After a couple minutes, Momma looked down at me.

"I remember you too." She leaned down and kissed me on my forehead.

Everything was perfect.


	10. Italy

**Chapter 10 - Italy**

_Bella's Point of View_

The first three months of my immortal life were filled with ecstasy, my first kisses and first nights with Edward were blissful and idyllic, but there were a few shadows on the horizon that eclipsed my perfect life.

Firstly, Renesmee was still growing rapidly. She spoke her first words at only one week old, and started to walk soon after. Edward and Carlisle poured their hearts into research but not much came out of it. According to Carlisle, Renesmee's rate of growth would continue, and she'd be an adult in no more than four years.

Four years. And an old woman by fifteen.

Just fifteen years of life.

Carlisle and Edward had exhausted the research they could do from a distance, and now we were preparing to follow old legends at their source. We were going back to Brazil, starting there. The Ticunas had legends about children like Renesmee... If other children like her had ever existed, perhaps some tale of the life span of half-mortal children sill lingered...

The only real question left was exactly when we would go.

This question was complicated by another thorn in my perfect life, the Volturi.

Alice had mailed a wedding announcement to Italy while Edward and I were on our honeymoon. She had seen that this would stall them in coming to Forks to make sure I was no longer human.

In reply, Aro sent a gold-inlaid wooden box filled with a beautiful diamond necklace. With it, a note.

"We look forward to seeing the new Mrs. Cullen in person" was all it said.

I knew that Aro was a collector – and his most prized treasures were his_ living_ pieces. There was no chance that I was going to risk my daughter's life by waiting around for the Volturi to come to Forks.

I was going to Italy.

Alice did not see any trouble with my trip, but she was worried by the indistinct quality of her visions. She said they were sometimes similarly hazy when there were outside decisions that might conflict but that had not been solidly resolved. This uncertainty made Edward, already hesitant, extremely opposed to what I had to do. He wanted to come with me as far as my connection in London, but I wouldn't leave Renesmee without both her parents. Carlisle was coming instead. It made both Edward and me a little more relaxed, knowing that Carlisle would be only a few hours away from me.

We bought the tickets for Italy the day after Renesmee turned three months. I planned for it to be a very short trip, so that I wouldn't be leaving my daughter and Edward too long.

It was the following weekend that Edward drove Carlisle and I to the airport. The short flight from Ocean Falls to Vancouver went by without incident, as did our long trip from Vancouver to London. My solo flight to Volterra was equally uneventful. I had left Carlisle in London so that Aro wouldn't be able to read his thoughts through his hands.

Walking into Volterra brought back nightmares of the last time I was there. Back when I was human. I remembered having to run through the crowds of people, my muscles burning. If I had been a second too late, Edward might have been killed, and me with him. Alice too probably. Even if they left me alive, my life wouldn't nearly be the same as it was now.

I would never have married Edward.

There would be no Renesmee.

If I had been a vampire then, I would have reached Edward no problem. Except that my inhuman speed in a public square would have made me the new target for the Volturi.

I concentrated on keeping up my human façade through the clock tower square. The last time I was here it was filled with tourists, all wearing long red cloaks. This time the square was virtually empty. There were only a few excited tourists snapping pictures. I walked a little faster. I didn't want an unlucky breeze to blow their scent towards me. This was not the place to lose my control.

I entered the Volturi's headquarters by the new, more conventional entrance Carlisle had explained for me.

It was the entrance for the visitors, not the criminals.

When I entered the reception area, I noticed that Gianna wasn't sitting at the desk. For a second I wondered what had happened to Gianna, but I quickly stopped the thought, already knowing the answer. The new receptionist was another human, with eyes just as eager. The eyes looked up at me.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Aro." I tried to remain calm, like it was just a friendly meeting.

"Bella Cullen?"

"Yes."

"You can go right in. They're expecting you."

I shivered slightly. "Thank you."

I turned and walked gracefully through the large, heavy doors.

I was ready to face my fate.


	11. The Volturi

**Chapter 11 – The Volturi**

_Bella's Point of View_

"Ah, Bella!" Aro rose from his seat as I entered the room. Caius and Marcus were his only companions, sitting on either side of him. They both looked equally unexcited.

"My my, you have taken to immortality quite well."

"Thank you, Aro." I spoke politely.

"But why have you come all the way out here? Surely you must have known we would come and visit you." I did.

"I decided to save you the trip. Why fly all the way to British Columbia when it was clearly my responsibility to take up this bargain?" I decided to play it friendly.

"Yes, I see. Why indeed. But I thought you were in Washington?"

Oops. I hadn't planned on telling him we had moved.

"We moved shortly after my transformation. Many people in my town know who I am, my changed appearance would have caused suspicion." It was as logical an answer as any.

"Quite true, quite true." He paused slightly. "Well, Bella, it seems that we have no more business to attend to, so I wish you a very safe trip back home."

I started breathing again, realizing only then that I hadn't been.

I started to turn to leave when Aro interrupted.

"Wait." I held my breath again and turned towards him.

"I am merely curious..." Aro held his hand out towards me.

I could tell what he was curious about. He wanted to know if he still couldn't hear me. His gift of reading a person's every thought through their hand was one that hadn't been able to break through my private mind. After my transformation I assumed that, since Edward couldn't hear me, Aro wouldn't be able to either.

I held out my hand for him.

Aro grabbed my hand and held it close to him, waiting for some revelation that wouldn't come.

"Fascinating." He paused for a moment and let go of my hand.

The two of us stood staring at one another for a moment, until Aro finally spoke.

"You wouldn't be interested in joining us, would you, Bella? We could use a powerful shield such as yourself." I had expected this.

"No thank you, Aro."

"But of course your mate could come too."

"Thank you for the offer, Aro, but we are not interested." I made sure to show no hesitation.

"So be it." He turned and sat back down in his chair. He looked mildly irritated.

"Please, Bella, do say hello to Carlisle for me. It's been so long."

"I will."

And with that, I turned and walked back through the door the same way I came.

I didn't know whether I should have expected something more from my meeting with the Volturi. In my mind I was almost imagining them kidnapping me, forcing me to work for them, forcing me to tempt Edward into coming too. I half expected them to change their minds, deciding to kill me anyways so that my family would learn a lesson. I guess I never expected the Volturi to be so diplomatic, especially after all my nightmares about them.

On my flight back to London, I couldn't shake this suspicious feeling. Perhaps my thoughts of the Volturi were playing with my mind. I couldn't believe they would just let me go.

Carlisle was waiting for me in London with my return ticket home. He didn't seem surprised that I came back in one piece. I guess he knew the Volturi better than I did.

"So, Bella, how did it go?"

"The same as we talked about, Carlisle. They questioned why I came and asked if I would join them."

"And Aro?"

"Took my hand, like we expected."

"Good. There's no need to be afraid anymore, Bella. You are safe. Renesmee is safe."

The flight home couldn't have gone any slower. I couldn't wait for the moment when I could finally hold my husband and daughter in my arms. To pass the time, I put a CD of Edward's compositions in my Walkman and put the headphones in my ears. I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes, wishing I could sleep.

Although the trip went flawlessly, I still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Something that was obvious, that slipped through the cracks.

I didn't have much time to think about it, because the plane had begun landing.

My whole family was waiting for us at the airport. Renesmee reached out to me and I took her in my arms. With one touch to my face she showed me how much she missed me.

I looked down at her, smiling. "I missed you too."

I was finally home.


	12. Information

**Chapter 12 - Information**

_Bella's Point of View_

A few more months went by and we decided that it was time to finally take the trip to South America. It was decided that Edward, Renesmee and I would go – I wouldn't leave either of them again – as well as Jasper, Carlisle and Alice. Rosalie, Emmett and Esme decided to stay back and look after the house. Esme had some renovations that she wanted to work on (she had big plans for the garage, the current one didn't hold all of our new cars, including the Ferrari that Edward had hired someone to pick up from the Forks house – my 'after' car), while Rosalie and Emmett were looking into schools. I wasn't sure if I was ready to start high school again so soon, but Edward insisted that I didn't have to go if I didn't want to, especially while Renesmee was young. I also had college to consider, whether I would go and when.

We had a general plan of what we were doing once we got to Brazil. We planned on talking to Kaure, our housekeeper when we were on Isle Esme. She seemed to know something about the legends, and might know where we should look next. Renesmee and I would get a hotel room at some point, so that the others could rely on Alice's blind spots to show them the way. With Renesmee constantly trailing around with us, she was bound to get exhausted, not to mention the fact that Alice can't see anything with her around.

When we landed in Rio de Janeiro, things went unnaturally smoothly. Edward called the housekeeping company that worked on Isle Esme, and we got an address for Kaure.

Needless to say, when she saw five vampires – or in her culture, Libishomen – standing on her doorstep, she cried out and fell to her knees and started praying in some foreign language. It was Carlisle who kneeled down to talk to her.

Speaking in the same foreign language, Carlisle – with Jasper's help – was able to calm her down, and we were invited inside.

The inside of her house was decorated in a very distinct way – the way you would expect a superstitious Ticuna Indian to decorate her house. There were several hand-carved masks on the walls, and smaller sculptures scattered around on different tables. The back door was open to the outside.

Kaure sat us down in what I could only assume to be her living room, and looked at us all warily. She seemed especially wary of Renesmee, and constantly glanced at her every few seconds.

Carlisle started their conversation in the same foreign tongue that I didn't know. Edward had taught me a few words in Portuguese and Spanish, but neither of those were what was being spoken. Edward put his arm around me as we sat on the couch and whispered – quiet and fast so that Kaure wouldn't notice – a brief translation of what was happening.

Kaure spoke of a Machupe village in south-central Chile where beautiful women had been tempted away by the Libishomen. When they returned, their abdomens were swollen with a demon's child. Every fifty to a hundred years or so, another woman would be taken away, just to come back cursed. The villagers would burn the woman's body alive, so that the creature inside would die.

Every so often, the mother would stay hidden, so that her body wouldn't burn, but death is a result of this pregnancy, whether the villagers were aware of it or not.

The child rips its way out of its mother, leaving the mother dead every time.

There are no exceptions.

None but me.

Kaure continued to speak – with Carlisle's probing – about the children once they're born.

She spoke about them with subtle fascination, about their amazing beauty and their ability to crush rock with their hands. She spoke about their incredible intelligence and agility.

She looked directly at Renesmee as she spoke.

The villagers would always try to hunt down the demon child, but after a couple days, it would disappear, never to return.

Carlisle asked Kaure how often a child would escape.

Her reply was hesitant. She mentioned early that this kind of scenario happened every fifty to one hundred years. An escaped child has only happened a few times in Machupe history.

I knew that Edward was reading everyone's thoughts, as well as Kaure's. I'm sure the other members of our family were certain of our next target location.

We would have to travel to south-central Chile, and find the Machupe villages, and hope that someone knew where to find these 'demon' children.

We finally left Kaure's house after spending a couple of hours there. It seemed like she knew of the general legends but nothing too specific, at least nothing that could tell us anything about Renesmee's future.

I was confused when I noticed Edward chuckle as we walked away from the house. I asked him what was so funny.

"It's Kaure, she's lighting fires all over the house in case we decide to come back in. She's going to unintentionally burn her house down." I guess I could see the ironic humor in that. A fire alone wouldn't kill us, but it could kill her.

Suddenly I felt a warm hand on my cheek and a flash of Kaure's face with the thought, _She was weird. _

It was my turn to laugh. Weird was an understatement. I gave my daughter a hug as we settled into our rental car.

A few short minutes later we arrived at our hotel and checked into a room for Renesmee and I. I knew that the silence that had followed us since Kaure's house was about to be broken.

"So, does someone want to make the first suggestion?" Alice spoke first.

"I believe that the best thing to do now is to continue with our plan," Carlisle suggested. "From what Kaure said, I think the best place we could be right now would be Chile. Bella and Renesmee will stay here, Alice will look out for blind spots once we get there." Carlisle was confident in the plan. I wasn't particularly thrilled about it, I had promised I would leave Edward again, but it was necessary for Renesmee to be away from Alice, and I wouldn't leave her alone.

The rest of the group was getting ready to leave, but I stopped Edward before he could walk out the door.

"I'll miss you," I told him. There was another understatement.

"And I'll miss you, love." He leaned down and placed a gentle, loving kiss on my lips. I forgot about everything. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back passionately, I didn't want to let him go. He broke away first.

"Bella, love. Be patient. I will be back soon, I promise." He smiled and I let go of his neck. I sighed and turned away, noticing Renesmee reaching up to me. I picked her up and brought her to her father. With one hand to the cheek, Renesmee expressed to Edward how much we would miss him.

"I'll miss you too, Renesmee." He kissed her on the head and turned.

Then, he was gone.


	13. The Search

**Chapter 13 – The Search**

_Edward's Point of View_

The hunt for half-human, half-vampires wasn't going as smoothly as we hoped.

I longed for my Bella, and my beautiful Renesmee, but I knew that we had to be here. I couldn't bear not knowing if my daughter would live more than fifteen years.

We were in the jungles of South America, looking for the Mapuche villages that Kaure had mentioned. They weren't incredibly hard to find, the scent of humans was quite strong. The biggest challenge, however, was talking to the villagers. Everyone we tried to talk to seemed to know exactly what we were, and wouldn't come near us.

It wasn't hard to read their thoughts. Terror and fear radiated throughout everyone's minds. Beloved mothers, sisters and daughters we being hidden underground; it didn't look like the villagers would be any help. The only piece of valuable information that I got from listening to their minds was that the last viewing of a Libishoman occurred about one hundred and fifty years ago, and that the child had escaped. The mother was killed and the child's aunt disappeared with the child. It was unusual that another family member went missing during an attack like this, it made them scared.

We left the village unsure of what to do next. Alice hadn't found a single blind spot, which was unpleasant. Knowing that the last attack was so long ago, we assumed that child would probably be dead, and the vampire who created it would be long gone. We considered tracking down the Amazon coven to help us find the original vampire father, but we weren't sure how well they would be able to help us.

We decided to take a break to hunt – to clear our minds. I tackled a cheetah, one of my more interesting kills. I had survived on some of the South American animals before, when I lived away from my family only a couple years ago. It was a time that I've always wanted to forget, a time of painful memories. It was during this time that I believed my Bella to be dead. I wanted no recollection of it, but I needed to hunt. My only amusement in the situation was thinking about Emmett wrestling an anaconda. He had wanted to come, but Rosalie wanted him to stay home with her.

I was polishing off another, smaller animal when I stopped suddenly, noticing Alice's thoughts. I turned to face her – she had a blank look on her face, but nothing but blackness in her thoughts.

"Alice? Alice, what do you see?" Jasper had noticed, too.

"Nothing. I see nothing, Jasper."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that Alice is seeing a blind spot." I answered for her.

"For when? Where?" Carlisle was concerned.

"Right here, now. Something is happening right now." Alice looked panicked. It was understandable. To not know what's coming next would be terrifying for her.

It was then that we all heard it – footsteps running through the forest towards us. It was unnaturally fast running, a vampire. But there was another set of feet as well, this one not quite as fast. As they approached we could smell the scent of a vampire, but also something else. We started to hear signs of a heartbeat, accelerated with exertion.

I heard the shock and caution radiating through the thoughts of my family.

As the vampires – or whatever they were – got closer, my defensive instincts kicked in and I crouched protectively in front of my family. The rest of them crouched as well, with growls in their throats. When the vampires ran into the clearing and stopped in front of us, what we saw was unexpected.

Firstly, the woman was evidently a vampire. She was small, with olive-toned skin and a long braid of black hair draping down her back. Her eyes were a deep burgundy, showing that she was obviously not someone who followed our particular life choices.

Beside her was a young man, flushed from the run, but obviously part vampire. His eyes were the color of warm teak, not burgundy or even black or amber. His hair was black and braided as well.

We all got up from our crouch and stared.

"Edward?" Carlisle questioned. I knew he wanted an explanation. I was already reading the thoughts of the female vampire and the young man, trying to find some answers for myself.

"Their thoughts are in their own language. The woman is obviously concerned for the boy, as you can see he's not entirely invulnerable. They want to know what we're doing here."

_ Not entirely invulnerable. There's a heartbeat, and blood rushing through his veins. Could this be the boy from the village, and his aunt?_

Carlisle's thoughts froze me for a moment. Obviously the boy had some similarities to Renesmee. Both seemed to be very strong. They both have a beating heart. The similarities were actually quite uncanny.

_ I couldn't see them. Is the boy a half-breed?_

Alice's thoughts seemed to solidify Carlisle's theory. He was unlikely to be anything else. However, the impossible question remained. How was the young man still alive after one hundred and fifty years? Was it a different boy? Could there be a chance for Renesmee?

My own thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the unfamiliar vampire woman, who stepped forward and spoke in a strangely accented English.

"Who are you?" She spoke solidly, showing no fear in her voice.

"We are friends. We wanted to ask for your help," Carlisle replied. He hesitated for a moment, and I could see he was struggling with his wording. I decided to speak for him, to allow him to retain his reasonability.

"Are you vampires?" I asked bluntly, knowing that this was the most important question.

"I am. My name is Huilen." She motioned to the young man. "This is my nephew, Nahuel. He is half-human."

This revelation froze me. I heard the thoughts of my family. They were just as shocked. It was Carlisle who broke the silence.

"Well, it certainly seems like we have a lot to talk about."

That was an understatement.


	14. Answers

**Chapter 14 - Answers**

_Bella's Point of View_

After a couple of short flights, I found myself running through the South American jungle in Chile, Renesmee in my arms. It was just a couple hours earlier that I got a call from Edward.

"Hello?" I answered into the phone when it rang.

"Bella, love, it's Edward." My heart fluttered at the sound of his voice. "You have to meet us here in Chile. I've already called and booked your flights. Can you get away?"

I knew he was concerned about the sun. There hadn't been a cloudy day since we got there, but I wasn't letting some sun keep us from Edward.

"Don't worry, I'll figure something out."

"Fantastic! Call me when you land. I can't wait to see you."

"I love you, Edward."

"I love you too, my Bella"

He hung up, leaving me to get ready. I hurried and packed up Renesmee's bags and wrapped myself in the layers of hoods and sweaters that would block out the sun. I took a car to the airport and made a connection flight to Chile. As soon as my feet touched the airport floor the phone was to my ear.

"Hello?" It was his turn to answer.

"Bella! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine. Where should I go?"

"Well, there's pretty well publicized historical village site in the southern region. You can get a car to take you there. When you get there, follow our scent into one of the back forests. You can't miss us. We've been around the village."

"I can't wait to see you." It was my only thought.

"Then hurry to me. I'll see you soon."

I got to the village in a decent amount of time. Sure enough, I stepped into the village and smelled the perfume scent of my vampire family. With Renesmee in my arms, I ran towards the source of the scent, my legs taking me faster than any human eyes could see.

In a few short minutes, I found them. Edward was facing towards us, his face longing. I ran into his arms and finally felt home. He kissed me and Renesmee, then turned to introduce us to some new faces.

"Bella, Renesmee, this is Huilen, and her nephew, Nahuel."

I was surprised to see another vampire here, but I was more surprised by Nahuel. The rushing blood and heartbeat seemed to indicate that he was human, but he had the perfumed scent of both a human and a vampire. I froze in place. Was this another half-breed like Renesmee? How old was he? He looked to be about seventeen.

"Huilen, Nahuel, I think it's about time that you told your story." Carlisle obviously had wanted Renesmee and I to be here when his questions were answered.

Huilen took a deep breath, and began her story.

"A century and a half ago, I lived with my people, the Mapuche. My sister was Pire. Our parents named her after the snow on the mountains because of her fair skin. And she was very beautiful – too beautiful. She came to me one day in secret and told me of the angel that found her in the woods that visited her by night. I warned her." Huilen shook her head mournfully. "As if the bruises on her skin were not warning enough. I knew it was the Libishomen of our legends, but she would not listen. She was bewitched.

"She told me when she was sure her dark angel's child was growing inside her. I didn't try to discourage her from her plan to run away - I knew even our father and mother would agree that the child must be destroyed, Pire with it. I went with her into the deepest pasts of the forest. She searched for her demon angel but found nothing. I cared for her, hunted for her when her strength failed. She ate the animals raw, drinking their blood. I needed no more confirmation of what she carried in her womb. I hoped to save her life before I killed the monster.

"But she loved the child inside her. She called him Nahuel, after the jungle cat, when he grew strong and broke her bones – and loved him still.

"I could not save her. The child ripped his way free of her, and she died quickly, begging all the while that I would care for her Nahuel. Her dying wish – and I agreed.

"He bit me, though, when I tried to lift him from her body. I crawled away into the jungle to die. I didn't get far – the pain was too much. But he found me; the newborn had struggled through the underbrush to my side and waited for me. When the pain ended, he was curled against my side, sleeping.

"I cared for him until he was able to hunt for himself. We hunted in villages around our forest, staying to ourselves."

Huilen bowed her head, indicating that she was finished.

I looked at her, speechless. We always believed that Renesmee was one of a kind, hoping we could find rumors, legends of what she was. We didn't expect to find an actual flesh and blood half-breed on our trip.

"How old are you?" I spoke without thinking, desperate to know the answer we came here to discover.

"I am about one hundred and fifty years old, give or take a decade." When we stared at him, wordlessly, he continued, "We don't keep track."

One hundred and fifty years old! If my heart were beating, it would have stopped.

"How is that possible?" Carlisle seemed as shocked as I did.

"About seven years after my birth, more or less, I was full grown."

"You have not changed since then?"

Nahuel shrugged. "Not that I've noticed."

So if this pattern held, Renesmee would be full-grown in only seven years, and she would be immortal. She would still be alive in one hundred and fifty years. She would still be alive in a thousand years. We had eternity together. I hugged her closer.

It was time for more questions.

Carlisle was drilling Nahuel for his most pressing questions.

"What is your diet?"

"Mostly blood, but some human food, too. I can survive on either." I pondered that. It was interesting, but certainly not something we didn't already know.

"You said you bit your aunt and she turned into a vampire?"

"Yes, that's true."

"So, you're venomous."

"Yes, but none of the rest are." Once again, the whole group of us froze.

"The rest?"

"My sisters." Nahuel shrugged again, and continued.

"My father came looking for me a few years after my mother's death." His handsome face distorted slightly. "He was pleased to find me." Nahuel's tone suggested the feeling was not mutual. "He had two daughters, but no sons. He expected me to join him, as my sisters had.

"He was surprised I was not alone. My sisters are not venomous, but whether that's due to gender or a random chance... who knows? I already had my family with Huilen, and I was not interested" – he twisted the word – "in making a change. I see him from time to time. I have a new sister; she reached maturity about ten years back."

"Your father's name?"

"Joham," Nahuel answered. "He considers himself a scientist. He thinks he's creating a new super-race." He made no attempt to disguise the disgust in his tone.

Carlisle was beaming. The thrill of new information excited him. I looked next to me. Edward was beaming too. I could tell he was happy about Renesmee.

We finally had answers.


	15. Return Home

**Chapter 15 – Return home**

_Bella's Point of View_

We left Huilen and Nahuel where we found them. They had run to us because they were curious. Their curiosity settled, they went on their own way.

There was one thing that bothered me about the meeting, however. That was the fact that Nahuel didn't seem to be able to take his eyes off of me. Or maybe he was looking at Renesmee. That made me uncomfortable, too.

He couldn't be oblivious to the fact that Renesmee was the only female of his kind that wasn't his half-sister. I didn't like to think about it, but I figured we had a few good years left before we had to start worrying. However, I was curious about it and I resolved to ask Edward about it once we got on the plane home.

We got our plane tickets and boarded the flight without incident. After we had taken off, I turned to Edward to ask him about Nahuel.

"I'm grateful to Nahuel for all his information, but all the staring at Renesmee was a little weird. I don't care if she is the only half-vampire he's not related to.'

"Oh, he wasn't staring at her – he was staring at you."

That's what it had seemed like... but that didn't make any sense. "Why would he do that?"

"Because you're alive," he said quietly.

"You lost me."

"All his life," he explained, "- and he's fifty years older than I am – "

"Decrepit," I interjected.

He ignored me. "He's always thought of himself as an evil creation, a murderer by nature. His sisters all killed their mothers as well, but they thought nothing of it. Joham raised them to think of the humans as animals, while they were gods. But Nahuel was taught by Huilen, and Huilen loved her sister more than anyone else. It shaped his whole perspective. And, in some ways, he truly hated himself."

"That's so sad," I murmured.

"And then he saw the three of us – and realized for the first time that just because he is half immortal, it doesn't mean he is inherently evil. He looks at me and sees... what his father should have been."

"You are fairly ideal in every way," I agreed.

He snorted and then was serious again. "He looks at you and sees the life his mother should have had."

"Poor Nahuel," I murmured, and then sighed because I knew I would never be able to think badly of him after this, no matter how uncomfortable his stare made me.

"Don't be sad for him. He's happy now. Today, he's finally begun to forgive himself."

Once that revelation was over, I worried less about my daughter's future. There was no creepy old man waiting for her. There was no premature death on the horizon. Life would simply go on for an eternity. We could go back home and live a fearless life.

I was intensely surprised at my excitement to return to Ocean Falls. Even though we had only been there a couple of months, it felt like home. There was even a little Indian reserve close to the town, like there was in Forks. Edward had coyly mentioned once that the reserve was named Bella Bella. I didn't wonder that it had been a factor in his choice of living location.

Sometimes I wondered if there was a different reason for us moving that Edward didn't tell me, something other than 'my looks'. I thought about Jacob sometimes, and wondered what happened to him. An instinct told me that it was his fault we left.

I didn't push the topic. We were finally happy.


	16. Visitors

**Chapter 16 - Visitors**

_Bella's Point of View_

I must have spoken too soon. I thought that our fears were finally over. The Volturi knew I was a vampire. Renesmee was going to live a long life. Weren't those our only concerns?

Part way through the flight home, Edward suddenly tensed up next to me.

"Edward, are you alright?" He didn't answer me.

"Edward... Edward, talk to me!" It was like Isle Esme all over again.

"Alice? Alice?" I turned back to see my new sister's face in the same shocked expression. Her husband hovered over her.

Edward's mouth fell open next to me. He spoke finally. "Some of the Volturi guard are planning on coming to Ocean Falls."

"What? Why?"

He flinched. "They suspected something was up when you went to Italy alone. They don't consider it a major threat so they're just sending a couple of people."

"Who are they sending?" I didn't want to face Jane again.

He sighed, obviously pained. "Demetri will be there, of course. He's the one who found out where we lived. The others you haven't met. Adeipho, Stephenie and Maggie." Edward paused on the last name. "They want to know what we're hiding."

"But we can't let them know about Renesmee."

Edward sighed again. "We might have to."

Upon arriving in Ocean Falls, we met up with Emmett, Rosalie and Esme. I'm sure Edward was noticing their confusion at our disappointment. We had called them to tell them the good news about Renesmee's future, but not about what Alice saw. Esme ran to Carlisle and they shared a short, private moment, before Carlisle looked up and spoke to everyone.

"We have some things to talk about. Alice and Edward can fill you in when we get home." It was an obvious temporary dismissal.

I was anxious to get home. I needed to know why Renesmee was in danger. Why couldn't we just hide her far away?

I threw myself through the front door of our house when we got there and sat myself down on one of the couches. I waited impatiently for the rest of my family to get settled. Edward spoke.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what's going on so I'll explain. Aro was suspicious of Bella's appearance at the Volturi, and sent a couple members of the guard to make sure we're not hiding something, which, of course, we are." He looked lovingly and guiltily at Renesmee.

"Our problem is that one of the members of the guard can tell if someone is lying." He looked at Carlisle. "It's Maggie."

"Maggie? But she was with the Irish coven." Carlisle remarked at her name.

"The Volturi recruited her recently. She's been a helpful asset."

"And the others?"

"Demetri is helping them, and two others, Adeipho and Stephenie, who are merely witnesses."

"Oh no."

"What? What's wrong?" I tensed up next to Edward.

"I've heard of Adeipho. He is able to tell if a person is hiding something, and he sees a glimpse of what it is that they're hiding. It's similar to Maggie's gift. It's no wonder they sent those two to see us."

"What should we do?"

"Well, they will of course see that we're hiding something. Unfortunately, there's no doubt that when he sees a glimpse of Renesmee, they will assume we have an immortal child. We will have to convince them that Renesmee is no danger."

Emmett scoffed. "Of course Renesmee isn't dangerous. You only have to look at her for five seconds to know that she's not a threat."

Edward looked back at him darkly. "I don't think they'll wait five seconds, Emmett."

I shuddered.

"When are they coming?"

Edward and Alice looked at each other. "Three days." They spoke together.

"What? Why so sudden?" Emmett was as baffled as the rest of us.

Edward answered, "I don't think it was sudden. I believe that Alice's timing has been a little off lately because we've been spending so much time around Nahuel."

"Nahuel? Why not Renesmee?" Carlisle inquired.

Alice answered. "I'm more accustomed to Renesmee. I can see her a lot better than I could. She is half of what I am, half of what I was. Once I grasped that, I got some fuzzy pictures."

I interrupted. "But what are we going to do about the Volturi? Is there no way to stop them?"

No one spoke.

Carlisle broke the silence with four terrifying words.

"We can only pray."


	17. Discussion

**Chapter 17 - Discussion**

_Bella's Point of View_

We prepared for the meeting as well as we could with only three days notice. Alice saw that they were coming just before sundown, so we had to move fast. We came up with a basic strategy. We assumed that the members of the guard wouldn't actually be involved with the execution if we were deemed guilty. We believed that they would return to Italy, and then Aro, Caius, Marcus and company would come later, most likely to perform the execution. All we had to do was make sure these four vampires waited for a few moments, so that they could witness the proof and bring a story of innocence back home.

If we couldn't convince them, we were prepared to fight. We outnumbered them greatly so we may be able to defeat them all. This would only delay the Volturi's attack, once they realized that their members were killed. At that point, we would have to leave, hide forever. We figured that with Demetri gone the Volturi might not find us.

We had a chance.

The day before the attack, I confronted Edward with a thought that confused me about my trip to the Volturi. I turned to him when we were sitting on the couch, took a breath, and voiced my question.

"Edward, why didn't Adeipho see what I was hiding when I went to Italy?"

He didn't look surprised by my question. "I was thinking about that myself. Who was in the hall when you went to talk to Aro?"

I thought about it, and answered quickly, "There was only Aro, Caius and Marcus in the room, but the others had to have been close by right? The Volturi wouldn't leave themselves vulnerable like that, would they?"

"No they wouldn't, which is why I think that my next theory is more plausible."

"What's that?"

Edward turned to me, smiled lightly, and put his arms around me. "You seem to be just as silent to him as you are to me, love."

"Oh." I considered that, and thanked my shielded mind. If Aro had found out while I was still in Italy that I was harboring a potentially illegal immortal child, I would have surely been killed instantly, and my family's executions would come soon after.

With that revelation, I turned back to Edward and asked another question that I was curious about.

"Edward, will you teach me how to fight?" I asked him, I tensed for his reaction.

"If it comes to a fight, there won't be much any of us can do," he hedged.

I kept my voice even. "Would you leave me unable to defend myself?"

He swallowed convulsively, then nodded. "When you put it that way... I suppose we should get to work as soon as we can."

We walked out the backyard and Edward started to teach me a few moves.

Needless to say, my first attempt at learning to fight did not go well.

Edward had me pinned in about two seconds. But instead of letting me wrestle my way free – which I absolutely could have – he'd leaped up and away from me. I knew immediately that something was wrong; he was still as stone, staring across the yard.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he said.

"No, I'm fine," I said. "Let's go again."

"I can't."

"What do you mean, you can't? We just started."

He didn't answer.

"Look, I know I'm no good at this, but I can't get better if you don't help me."

He said nothing. Playfully, I sprang at him. He made no defense at all, and we both fell to the ground. He was motionless as I pressed my lips to his jugular.

"I win," I announced.

His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"Edward? What's wrong? Why won't you teach me?"

A full minute passed before he spoke again.

"I just can't... bear it. Emmett and Rosalie know as much as I do. Ask someone else."

"That's not fair! You're good at this. You helped Jasper before – you fought with him and all the others, too. Why not me? What did I do wrong?"

He sighed, exasperated. His eyes were dark, barely any gold to lighten the black.

"Looking at you that way, analyzing you as a target. Seeing all the ways I can kill you..." He flinched. "It just makes it too real for me. We don't have so much time that it will really make a difference who your teacher is. Anyone can teach you the fundamentals."

I scowled. Turning my back on Edward and the yard, I marched up to the house to find another teacher.

Emmett was more than willing to help, though his teaching felt to me a lot like revenge for all the lost arm-wrestling matches from my first few weeks as an immortal. If I could still bruise, I would have been purple from head to toe. I learned many things, but I had the sense that my knowledge was still impossibly basic. I had no idea how many seconds I would last against a member of the Volturi.

My relief was in knowing that the fight would be eight against four. We planned that if it came to a fight, Edward and Jasper would take Demetri, since he would most likely be the most experienced fighter. Maggie likely didn't know how to fight well, so Edward had me fighting her, along with Alice. Emmett and Rosalie would take Stephenie, and Carlisle and Esme would take Adeipho. However, even if we won, it would be a loss. We would have to hide forever.

There would be no escape.

**A/N **** Sorry about the confusion yesterday morning! I forgot what day it was, but don't worry, I'm sticking to my every-other-day timeline. You'll see why!**


	18. The Chase

**Chapter 18 – The Chase**

_Jacob's Point of View_

It's been months since the _Cullens_ skipped town. Mother and baby in tow.

I'm still a part of Sam's pack. Leah and Seth were still no-shows around town.

After the mediocre fight on the day the leeches fled, no one has seen or heard a word from them. For all we knew, they were living in the bloodsucker's house.

The rest of the pack had moved on. No new werewolves have phased since the catalysts left. Life was starting to get back to normal. Sam and Emily were planning their wedding. Paul was still hanging around the house too much.

I still ran my patrols every night, waiting for some sign of movement from the Cullen house. I searched for signs that they would come back.

There were never any signs.

The rest of the pack thought I was crazy.

What was wrong with me anyways? Why couldn't I leave them alone? Why couldn't I move on like the rest of them?

It sickened me that I already knew the answer. I still loved Bella, and they killed her. She was a monster, and her spawn was a monster. That was the only justification I needed to rip them all apart.

It was dark, my third patrol of the day. Things were getting ridiculous.

I was heading up towards the Cullen house, as usual. Not expecting to find much.

In situations like this, I usually sat around for a while, pawing at the ground until I was satisfied nothing was happening, then I would go home.

But this time, someone was there.

I stayed between the trees, still in wolf form. My senses on edge, I watched for every movement.

There were two tow trucks in the driveway, flashing lights on top. A couple of men got out of the trucks and went to open the garage. Inside was a fleet of top-class cars. The Aston Martin Vanquish was visible first. I vaguely remember the purr of that engine and longed to be back inside, before I remembered who it's owner was. There was also a massive Jeep and a Mercedes inside, as well as that cursed silver Volvo, but it seemed like the only two cars they were taking were Blondie's BMW and a brand new Ferrari.

I didn't know who owned the Ferrari. Maybe they just thought it was too valuable to give up. I wasn't surprised that Blondie wanted her shiny red car with her. From what I've heard about her, she knew almost as much about cars as I did. I wouldn't be surprised if the car was full of customized...

I stopped mid-thought, another thought more pressing.

What was the first thing I thought of when I saw the tow trucks? I thought that they were picking up the cars to deliver them to their owners. If that were true, these cars would be taken right to the Cullens.

It was here. My chance was back.

I couldn't hold my excitement. I threw my head back and howled.

Within moments, I could here more voices in my head as my packmates phased.

_ Yo Jacob, what's going on?_

_Yeah man, what's with the howling?_

They quickly saw in my head what I was thinking and where I was going.

It didn't take them long to catch up.

_Go Jacob! Run after them! _

_Yeah, hurry! We'll go find Sam!_

Instantly, my head was temporarily silent. I was able to revel in my own thoughts. I pictured myself lunging towards Edward, my giant body no match for his tiny granite frame. I pictured my teeth ripping into his neck, tearing it apart.

I barely noticed that I was running.

The tow trucks were driving, and I ran alongside them, not willing to let them go. I wasn't even really thinking about keeping myself hidden. I needed to find out where they were going.

After a few minutes, the voices in my head came back, one by one. Eventually, the whole pack was there. I could tell that they were running after me, running to join me.

_Keep going Jacob, we're right behind you._ Sam's words rang in my head.

We ran for hours, getting farther and farther from La Push.

We were running farther and farther from Leah and Seth.

Nothing was going to stop us this time.


	19. Waiting

**Chapter 19 - Waiting**

_Bella's Point of View_

It was only a few hours away from when the Volturi members were supposed to show up. If vampires could be restless, I would have been. I distracted myself from the impending visit by sitting and playing with Renesmee. She was physically around five now, mentally a lot older. We trusted her to stay out of the way if it came to a fight. She understood.

Every sound was putting me on edge. At one point a couple of tow trucks drove up our driveway, and I stood up and spun around so fast I thought I would have given myself whiplash.

Edward was suddenly behind me. He reached both his arms around me and held me close to him. He leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"Relax, it's just the cars."

Right. The cars. Edward had been adamant about bringing me my 'after' car, despite the current events. I didn't really understand.

I sat down and relaxed a little, and turned to look around the room at my family. Edward was sitting with Renesmee and I, his arm back around my shoulder. He was watching Renesmee play. I couldn't quite tell his emotions by his face.

Jasper was looking like he was in pain. I wouldn't doubt that he was, with all of the anxiety in the room.

Emmett and Rosalie were playing cards with each other. Passing the time, I was guessing.

Esme and Carlisle were both reading. Esme, a home magazine, Carlisle, a recent medical journal. He had found a good job as a doctor in the little town and was never one to just 'get by' at his job.

Alice was sitting on the couch, glassy-eyed. I could tell that she was trying to search through the future.

As I looked at Alice, I noticed a very sharp look of recognition and shock appear on her face. My human eyes might not have even noticed the difference.

Beside me, Edward groaned.

"Not again..." Edward's voice was pained. He took his arm out from behind me and sank his head into his hands.

"What is it, Edward?" I pleaded with him.

"Alice's vision just went blank again."

The rest of the family looked up.

"Why, Alice?" Carlisle asked.

Alice snapped out of her trance and looked up at Carlisle, obviously very upset.

"I don't know! At this point it could be any number of things. Nahuel could have tracked us down. One of the Volturi could have a gift that blocks when it's close. Maybe Renesmee's messing with my sight again. I don't know!" With that, Alice ran out of the room. I had a feeling that she wouldn't be able to give us any more answers.

"Is it possible, Carlisle?" Edward asked.

"It is very possible, Edward."

Emmett looked around. "Is what possible?"

"That one of the guard that's coming may be shielding themselves from Alice's visions."

Esme shuddered slightly. "Wouldn't that mean..."

"Yes." Edward answered her thoughts. "They must be close by."

Everyone got up and moved very fast, getting ready for what was about to happen. As a human, I would have been bewildered by the speed of those around me. As a vampire, I participated, bringing Renesmee upstairs to her room, going over moves in my head, preparing for the meeting.

Within a minute, we were all outside, Alice included, faced in the direction that Alice had earlier seen the Volturi arriving. I focused. All we had to do was explain ourselves. Maggie could see that we were telling the truth. Then they would leave.

I contemplated the people coming. Demetri was a tracker, a very good one. Maggie could tell if someone was lying, and Adeipho could tell if someone was hiding something, and a glimpse of what that was. The last of them was Stephenie. Obviously everyone in this group of vampires was skilled in a very useful way, or else they wouldn't have been chosen. If Stephenie's gift was the ability to block Alice's visions, she would indeed be very valuable.

I cursed the Volturi for doing this. They could be killing us without proof.

At that moment, I smelled something strange. It was a smell that I had never experienced before, like an animal, but worse. Like wet dog. I shrugged it off, thinking it was just another animal in the woods, but when several members of my family gasped next to me, I started to panic.

Edward was frozen next to me.

A silent, "No" creeped from his lips.

He spun around the same time as the rest of my family, forced to turn the opposite way from our coming visitors.

I turned with them and lowered into a crouch, assuming that our unknown intruders were looking for a fight.

We waited.

I heard paw steps in the trees. There were at least five of them.

Then, I heard them running towards us and saw when they broke through the trees.

What finally came for us were six giant wolves, each with different colored fur, just like the wolves from...

No!

I hardly had time to register what I knew, when the teeth of a large, russet-colored wolf lunged for my neck.


	20. Fighting

**Chapter 20 - Fighting**

_Jacob's Point of View_

It's not Bella. It's not Bella.

I had to keep telling myself that as I was swiping at what was left of my best friend. I had let my wolf instincts take over for me; the territorial anger that emanated out of me was enough to keep me in the fight.

We had found them after only a few hours.

It was easy, too easy, to begin attacking them. They were standing there, all in a pretty little row. I knew which one I was going for. The others saw it in my head.

I had to say I was surprised though. This new Bella was a very good fighter. I couldn't even get past her. It didn't seem like she had very much strategy though, just a wild amount of strength and speed. It was so unnatural.

Every swipe I threw seemed to miss her, but I wasn't completely useless. She never got to me either. Not one bite, not one hit.

The fighting went on for what seemed like forever. The sun wasn't starting to go down yet, but it was close.

There were a few injuries. Jared had to fall back for a while with an injury to his left quad. There were a few wails every once and a while. We managed to rip off one of the bloodsuckers arms, I didn't see who's, but I hoped it was Blondie's. We'd have to burn the pieces before they got put back together.

Then, suddenly, mid-fight, there was a high, crying wail coming from the house. Many of us looked up, Bella and I included. There, on the front porch of the house, was what looked like a five-year-old girl, bawling her eyes out at what she was seeing.

What?

This couldn't be the same baby from earlier in the year. This couldn't be Bella's...

But it was.

I heard the thoughts of the other wolves. They were thinking the same thing as me. The creature certainly could grow fast. It was more proof that it wasn't anything close to human. It was more proof that it had to be destroyed.

As my anger towards it grew, I shouted out one solitary thought to my pack:

_She's mine._

I bolted away from my meager fight with Bella and was running full force towards the demon child.

In the distance I could hear her father's pleading "No!" and her mother's screams, but neither one was able to get away from the fight.

I ran faster.

I was almost there.

A couple more leaps and I would be right in front of her.

A few more seconds and she would be dead.

Just one more leap...

I was midair on my pounce when I was body checked in the side by what felt like a meteor. What the hell? All the vampires were being 'taken care of'.

When I regained my composure, I got up and looked at my opponent.

The person – or rather, wolf – that stood in front of me was not who I expected.

Sam.

_Sam, come on. What's your problem?_ What was he thinking?

_Stay away from her, Jacob._

_What? Why?_ Wasn't this the whole reason we were here?

What I saw in his thoughts both answered my question and had me burning with anger.

_Look at her!_

I looked at the half-demon girl with the same eyes and saw the same thing. Nothing human. I couldn't see what he did. I wouldn't.

_Look at her!_

_NO! _ I growled at him.

_Jacob. She's crying, man. Feel some compassion. She's obviously not the threat that we came here to destroy. _

I growled again. I was losing him. I was losing my opportunity.

_Jacob? Sam? _ The rest of the pack had stopped fighting. Edward had stopped his coven from fighting back too. Everyone was crowding us.

"Edward, what's going on? Why did they stop?" The pale doctor's wife asked.

Edward seemed to sigh in relief, "They don't seem to consider Renesmee a threat like the did. Now that they've seen her, they can see that she's just a girl."

I growled louder. Saying it out loud made it more real.

"Are you sure?" one of the leeches asked.

"Well," Edward admitted, "Jacob's not quite on board just yet."

Just yet? What was he expecting from me? Couldn't he tell that the only thing stopping me from tearing his baby to shreds was a few feet of Sam's muscle and bone?

Edward frowned at my thoughts but didn't voice any opinion. Still, I could tell he was on edge.

There were whispers and murmurs among the vampires. I looked at them briefly. Obviously whoever lost an arm had put it back on. Waste of time.

Bella let out a weak little whimper, which I could only interpret as an expression of fear and relief. Oh yeah, she would get that lucky.

_Jacob, we have to stop fighting. If I move will you back down?_ Sam spoke to me.

_Sam, you know I can't let this go. _I felt another surge of adrenaline course through me as I pawed at the ground and anticipated the kill. _That creature deserves to be sent to Hell where it belongs._

_Jacob. We don't fight anymore tonight. That's an order. We won't kill her._

I growled at him as a slur of curse words rushed through my head.

_Whoa, came down Jake. She's just a kid._ Probably Paul. Right now I hated him.

_Shut up, Paul! How could you do this? They're vampires! What is wrong with everyone? You're all blood traitors!_

I had to get out of there.

I turned and ran as fast as I could in the opposite direction to the house. I needed to get as far away from there as I could. I couldn't look my pack in the eye. I couldn't speak to them. I would have to find a place to phase and some clothes and quick. I didn't want these voices in my head anymore.


	21. Going Back

**Chapter 21 – Going back**

_Bella's Point of View_

I suppose the situation could have been a lot worse.

When Alice lost her vision we never thought it could have been the wolves that were coming for us. Forks was miles away. Were they really that angry?

I guess I knew that one of the wolves was that angry.

When Jacob in his wolf form came to attack me, I didn't really know what to do. I knew I couldn't hurt him; he was still my best friend. I acted as defensively as I could, without much of a back-up plan.

I thought things couldn't get any worse until I heard my baby girl crying on the porch. What was she doing there? It was too dangerous! It was a memory I don't believe I'll ever forget.

When Jacob lunged for her, I really thought I would lose it. I couldn't bear to imagine it. I screamed out for her but I knew there was nothing I could do.

It was so close. I was so close to losing her forever. All of this, my entire life would have no meaning without her. Even Edward wouldn't be enough to bring me back after Renesmee was gone.

He would be crushed, too.

But at the last minute, she was saved by... Sam.

Not what I was expecting, but miraculous nonetheless.

I owed him my life. No, more than that. Renesmee's life too, and Edward's.

However, I still didn't know if I could forgive him for attacking us in the first place. I knew that Jacob was angry, but Sam didn't have to run all the way up to Canada just to fight us. They could have just left us alone.

That being said, he saved her life, so instead of no life with her, I get to spend forever with her. I don't usually care what happens in life as long as the people I love are safe. We are all safe. I can live with that.

After the fighting ended, we invited the wolf pack inside to talk some things over.

Fully clothed and in human form, five young men sprawled over various couches in the living room. The vampires all stood, none of us being a stickler for a comfortable seat.

"So, what exactly happened here?" Carlisle broke the silence.

Sam sat up and spoke for the pack. "Jacob has been holding a grudge against you guys ever since the day you left. He's been patrolling your house night and day, waiting to see if you come back.

"Earlier today Jacob was out by the house and saw the tow trucks outside the house, picking up your cars. He followed them here, we followed him."

Carlisle replied, a little confused. "But I thought your jurisdiction was for La Push. Why would we be a threat out here?"

"Your right, our main priority is for La Push, but we were created to protect all human life. We had no way of knowing if the girl was dangerous or not." He looked a little embarrassed.

"Well, no harm, no foul. Am I right in assuming that we are no longer in danger? Or should I tell my family to prepare for your attack?" He laughed.

"You're right in assuming that we won't hurt you. We couldn't possibly hurt you when it would hurt Renesmee. She's just a kid, after all."

Carlisle smiled, satisfied, and asked about another party we've been concerned for. "What about Seth and Leah? How are they doing?"

Sam paused. "No one's heard anything from them since that day."

There was a silence around the room. It didn't seem like a topic that anyone wanted to talk about, so I changed the subject.

"Sam, will you and the pack be returning to La Push? Or are you staying here?" I questioned. What exactly was policy on vampire protection? Were we still a threat?

Sam considered this for a moment, then looked up at all of us "I'm not sure exactly. Obviously the nine of you are not dangerous to humans, but when unfriendly visitors come it would be necessary to have us around to help."

I sighed and nodded. All we needed was another situation like Victoria and we'd need the wolves around. Not just for our own protection but for others in our town. After the last few days it's evident that I'm still a danger magnet, even after my transformation.

"I guess that's a possibility." Edward answered an unspoken question.

I looked over. "What's a possibility?"

"Embry was just thinking about how we should move back to Forks. That way, they're close by, and we don't have to worry about anymore werewolf attacks."

I thought about it. Moving back to Forks would be nice. I hadn't even gotten to see Charlie yet since my transformation. I had been talking to him a little by phone. He thought I was in a medical rehabilitation center for my "South American disease".

"Yes, I suppose that is an option. Who disagrees?" Carlisle looked around. No one said a word. I was surprised. Maybe everyone liked Forks more than they led on.

"Perfect, so we'll leave when we're packed."

The conversation seemed to be over until one lone voice spoke out.

"What about Jacob?" It was Quil who spoke. "He still seems pretty upset, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was heading back to La Push."

"I'll talk to him. Give him a command." Sam answered.

"Will that work?"

"It'll have to. Don't worry. We won't let him hurt the Cullens."

I relaxed a little after that conversation. We could go back to Forks, live our lives the way we wanted to live them. I could see my father.

Things were going to work out.

Later on, everyone was helping to pack up the house, including the wolves. There wasn't too much to pack up, we hadn't been living there long and we weren't taking the furniture.

I was in the middle of packing a box of Renesmee's books when I stopped, hearing a sound coming from outside. Several footsteps were approaching our property.

I ran to the window and looked up at the sky. It was just before sundown.

We had completely forgotten the true threat of the night.

The real reason we had to be prepared.

The Volturi had come.


	22. The Meeting

**Chapter 22 – The Meeting**

_Bella's Point of View_

As fast as possible, my family and I ran outside to prepare for our meeting. I was in full panic-mode. I hadn't had much time to prepare, since the fight had interrupted us. I wasn't sure what to say. What could we say to keep them from bolting away once they saw a glimpse of my child?

After waiting a moment, I realized that the wolf pack had phased and were standing behind us, as protection. I didn't realize how strong their loyalties were.

As we stood and watched, the four vampires appeared into our field of vision. The first, the obvious leader, was Demetri. I had seen him before. He had the same villainous smirk on his face. The second, who I assumed was Adeipho, was a young man with olive skin and dark hair. He had the look of age on his face. Next, was a woman. She had beautiful dark chestnut hair and full lips. She walked with grace and dignity. I assumed this to be Stephenie. The last vampire was who I knew to be Maggie, from Carlisle's description. She was a tiny vampire, like Alice, and had bouncy red curls.

They stopped at a good distance from us, and looked to the wolves.

"Yes!" I heard Edward whisper.

I risked a glance at him. His face was relaxed, confident. I wish I could have asked him what he heard.

"Carlisle!" Demetri spoke from a distance. "Does your coven wish to attack us?"

"Certainly not, Demetri. The wolves are only here to support us." Carlisle was calm.

I could see the vampire Aleipho suddenly open his eyes wide and whisper something to Demetri and the others. They were far enough away that I did not hear, even with my impressive vampire hearing, but I could guess what they were talking about. I cringed. It was Demetri's turn to open his eyes wide. The four of them simply stood there, looking shocked and lost.

Edward turned and whispered to me, "They know about Renesmee. They want to run, to tell their masters what they know, but they're afraid of the wolves."

I relaxed a little. If they were afraid to run, we still had a chance to explain ourselves. Edward turned and nodded to Carlisle, who turned and spoke to our guests.

"Friends! Do not be shocked by what you see we are hiding, because you misunderstand."

The four vampires paused. They all looked to Maggie but she only shrugged. What Carlisle said may or may not have been a lie. He didn't necessarily know what Adeipho saw.

"Then tell us what you believe we saw, Carlisle." Demetri answered for his group.

"You believe that we have an immortal child with us. This is not true. There is no immortal child here."

Demetri looked to Maggie, who nodded back, indicating the truth. Demetri wasn't entirely convinced.

"Then what was it that Adeipho saw, Carlisle? Surely, you lie."

Carlisle then turned to me. "Bella? Would you bring Renesmee out?"

I ran into the house and found Renesmee in her room, watching the meeting from her window.

"What's happening, Momma?" she asked me.

"They've stopped. I think they want to meet you." I reached down and picked her up. Renesmee lifted her hand up to touch my face.

_ Will there be more fighting?_

I relaxed and held my daughter close.

"No, baby. I don't think so."

I brought her down to the field to meet everyone. Demetri, Adeipho and Maggie had looks of shock on their face and I was sure it looked like they were about to run. Stephenie seemed calmer, but now wasn't the right time to remark on trivial details. I was just grateful for the wolves for not making their escape a possibility.

"Please," Carlisle spoke, "do not be quick to judge. See the flush of human blood in her cheeks, the sound of her heartbeat. This is no immortal child."

Adeipho finally spoke. "What is it?"

Stephenie interrupted. "Well it's obviously a living, breathing child. Biologically half-vampire and half-human, am I right?" She looked up at us.

It was our turn to be shocked. What gift did this vampire have that we weren't aware of? It certainly wasn't the ability to block Alice's visions. We had the wolves to blame for that. Whatever her gift was, it seemed to be turning the discussion in our favor.

"That is correct. Edward is her biological father. Bella, her mother. She carried and gave birth to the child while she was still human."

There was a moment of silence. Demetri seemed lost about what direction to take. He looked to Maggie for answers. She rolled her eyes.

"What they're saying is obviously true. You don't need me to see that."

I held my breath and waited for an answer, gripping Renesmee tightly.

"Well," Demetri finally answered, "it seems like what you had to hide was nothing of consequence. I'll inform the Volturi of your innocence as soon as we return."

Was that it? Was it over?

"Wait!" Edward stopped them. "If you wouldn't mind sharing some more information with the Volturi when you return?"

I didn't know where he was going with this.

Demetri smiled. "Of course, what is it?"

"If you would kindly notify them that Renesmee is not one of a kind, but rather one of a few. There are others like her in South America, fathered by the vampire Joham. Their lifespans are vast and the exposure risk is minimal."

Demetri seemed to understand. "I would be happy to inform them."

"Thank you." Edward replied graciously.

Then it really hit me. It was over.

There was a real, tangible change in the air as my entire family relaxed. Edward leaned in and kissed Renesmee on the head. We were safe for the time being.

With that, the four vampires came closer to see the child. It didn't bother me in the slightest. Anyone would have wanted a closer look. Stephenie and Maggie were especially taken with Renesmee, even holding her and letting her use her talent on them.

Demetri and Adeipho spoke to each other at a distance, obviously waiting for the girls to be finished so that they could return home.

Before either Stephenie or Maggie were finished visiting with us, Carlisle voiced a question that had plagued my mind ever since the Volturi members arrived. He spoke directly to Stephenie.

"I'm sorry to impose, but I was wondering what your special talent is?"

She looked confused. "I'm sorry? My talent?"

Carlisle was equally confused. "Your gift. Like Edward's mind reading, Jasper's emotional control or Alice's visions."

Maggie interrupted, "Don't forget Bella's shield."

I turned to her, startled to hear my name. "My what?"

"Uh... your shield. Your mental shield. I know I can never tell if you're lying." She turned to Edward. "Can you read her thoughts?"

He replied, "No, but I've never been able to do that. Even when she was human."

"Never? That's interesting."

I frowned. "What are you all talking about? How can I be a shield? What does that even mean?" All I could picture in my head was a ridiculous medieval suit of armour.

"Well, in the Volturi, we tend to categorize people's gifts. Talents that are purely defensive, like yours, we call shields."

I contemplated that. A shield. I guess I always knew that. But the question was still out there – what about Stephenie?

"But what about you, Stephenie?" I asked. "Do you have any kind of talent?"

She replied fairly quickly. "No, I don't have any kind of quantifiable talent. But I guess you could say I am creatively talented, good at thinking outside of the box, so to speak. I was good at coming up with creative solutions even as a human. I found out about vampires on my own, you know. Just figured that it was a possibility."

"So why did the Volturi send you?" Carlisle was curious.

"I'm not sure. I seem to always be able to creatively get myself out of tough situations, so maybe that's why they sent me. It's hard to say."

After a little bit more visiting, Stephenie, Maggie, Adeipho and Demetri all said goodbye, ready to take their long trip back to Italy. The wolf pack was beginning to phase back to humans. Embry had Renesmee in his arms the moment she was out of Stephenie's. The rest of my family and I were headed back up into the house, when I heard my name being called.

I turned to see Stephenie mentioning for me to come see her.

I hesitated for just a moment, then ran down to her, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"Hi, Bella. Sorry for calling you away from your family. I was just thinking about what was said earlier, and I was wondering if I could give you some advice about your talent."

"Um... Okay."

She paused. "Have you ever tried pushing your mental shield away from your body? Like shielding someone else or even pushing it away entirely?"

I stared at her. "No, is that even possible?"

"Well, it's certainly possible. You should always try to look for greater ways to expand your abilities."

"Well thank you, I'll practice that."

"Alright then, good luck! I hope to see you again soon!" She then turned away and left with the rest of the Volturi members.

My mind was swirling with new information. Shielding others? Pushing away my shield entirely? I had only just found out that my shield existed.

I kept the thought in the back of my head.

This was definitely something I wanted to work on.

**A/N - I hope you guys liked my little shout-out to Stephenie Meyer. Tried to think of what she'd be like as a vampire. Only 2 more chapters left! Please review!**


	23. Revelations

**Chapter 23 - Revelations**

_Jacob's Point of View_

Before I could even control myself, I was back in La Push.

Great. This was the last place I wanted to be.

I thought of the last few hours. Sam _would _take sides with the bloodsuckers. I growled at myself. It didn't make any sense. He didn't even like the vampires that much.

Hours had passed since then, but I was still angry.

Angry at Sam.

Angry at Edward.

Angry at Bella.

Angry at myself.

It was so crushing. I ran to first beach and sat, as a human, in front of the water.

I confronted myself. Forced myself to look at my own faults. Was Bella such a horrible monster? She seemed a lot like herself when I saw her, when she wasn't fighting. Those eyes, though. Not as red as I had imagined, but still pretty bad.

I knew that once she decided to keep the baby, Bella's only choices were vampirism or death. It was true; the baby did essentially kill her. But it was her choice, was it not? A choice whether or not to have a child? Doesn't that fall on the mom?

A lot of parents say that they would die for their children. Bella lived that out, literally. Was I really expecting her to do anything differently? Was anyone?

I guess who I was really angry at was Edward, who forced this decision on her.

But honestly, who was I to judge what they did on their honeymoon? At the time I was appalled that they would even attempt to try, but obviously she wasn't smashed or crushed by it. She just got knocked up, which no vampires I knew had any indication was possible.

Also, I saw his pain. He went through enough of that with the pregnancy. He was suffering over Bella's decision the same way I was.

So I'm not angry at Edward then either.

I lowered my head, frustrated. What was I angry about? What had happened, happened, and it would have happened whether I was around or not.

I guess who I was really angry at was myself, for not doing a thing. My responsibilities to my pack, my ancestry and to my best friend were clashing. I broke away from the pack and rejoined them. I had no real sense of where I belonged, because I didn't know which side to take.

I lifted my head, deciding on a compromise for myself. If I found out where I belonged, then I would have no reason to be angry with myself, or anyone anymore.

I thought about it.

I thought about it longer.

Where do I belong?

I believed that I already knew the answer, I was just ashamed to admit it.

I belonged with Bella.

I don't need to be her boyfriend or lover. I just need to be in her life.

I had made excuses for myself and for others, saying that "vampires and werewolves just can't get along" or that "Sam makes the orders, we have to follow them". But now that the werewolves and the vampires are getting along just fine, and Sam is with them, there are no more excuses.

It's time to face my demons.

It's time to forgive myself and be true to what I want.

I want to go back.

As I made these revelations, I was barely aware of two pairs of footsteps approaching behind me.

Whoever they were, they sat on either side of me, and didn't say a word.

I looked up to see my visitors. Seth and Leah sat beside me, obviously close to starving. Their clothes all tattered, it looked like they had been living in the wild, probably as wolves, eating raw meat and sleeping on cold ground.

I nodded, acknowledging their presence.

We sat in silence for a while, before I broke it with some news.

"Hey, guess what?"

Leah and Seth looked at each other, then to me.

"What?"

"You remember that half-vampire girl, Renesmee?"

"Yeah?" Of course they remember.

"Yeah well, she grows really fast. She looks like, at least five years old now."

"Really? No way!" Seth laughed.

"Yeah. We went up there to fight them but you know, she started crying and everyone felt bad so we had to stop."

Leah frowned. "And you were upset so you came back here." It wasn't a question.

"I was, but I'm not anymore. I think I'm over it."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah. I just want to see Bella. I don't care if she is a bloodsucking creature."

"So, you're back?"

I thought about that. "Yeah, I'm back."

Seth perked up. "Will you be our Alpha again?"

I paused again. "Yes, I will be." The warmth of my pack ties surrounded me in this decision. I didn't need to think about this. I wasn't against Sam's pack anymore, but being in a pack with Seth and Leah just seemed right.

"So, what do we do now?"

I smiled. "We go to Canada."

Seth and Leah looked at each other and shrugged, but didn't question. They would follow their Alpha anywhere.


	24. The End

**Chapter 24 – The End**

_Bella's Point of View_

Life was completely back to normal – only better.

I was thriving in my new (well, not quite new anymore) vampire body.

We moved back to Forks and Carlisle got back his old job at the hospital. I got to see Charlie again. The wolf pack saw Renesmee every day, which made them all extremely happy.

Jacob came back into our lives. He apologized, saying that he wanted to be around more. He even seemed pretty friendly with Edward.

Leah and Seth showed up too. Esme and Alice both nearly fainted when they saw them. Esme cooked up a weeks worth of food and Alice brought out a years worth of clothes. Seth was beaming. Leah wasn't as excited, but her aversion to all things vampire seemed to have dissipated.

The Volturi wasn't on our tail anymore. Sam's pack was still friendly, still close. Renesmee would be a fully grown, immortal woman in 6 years.

Everything was perfect.

For Edwards and my first wedding anniversary, the Cullens got us a house, a renovated cottage close to the original property. They said that they had originally meant to give it to us sooner, but then Renesmee was born, and things got out of hand.

Edward's and my first night in our new, private house was one of the most perfect nights of my life, and we had so many more nights ahead of us.

One night, we were walking to our room at the cottage, when Edward put his hand under my chin to lift my lips to his.

"Wait," I hesitated, pulling away.

He looked at me in confusion. As a general rule, I didn't pull away. Okay, it was more than a general rule. This was a first.

"I want to try something," I informed him, smiling slightly at his bewildered expression.

I put my hands on both sides of his face and closed my eyes in concentration.

I had been fiddling with the intricacies of my shield for a while, practicing day in and day out. Edward didn't know that he was helping me practice, I let Emmett in on it, making him say awful things about Edward in his head and shielding him from the impending wrath. Emmett was getting a kick out of it. I was getting a lot of practice in. I hadn't done very well with this particular skill, but I had a confidence that it might work.

This wasn't anywhere near as easy as shielding other people along with myself. I felt the elastic recoil again as my shield fought to protect me. I had to strain to push it entirely away from me; it took all of my focus.

"Bella!" Edward whispered in shock.

I knew it was working then, so I concentrated even harder, dredging up the specific memories I'd saved for this moment, letting them flood my mind, and hopefully his as well.

Some of the memories were not clear – dim human memories, seen through weak eyes and heard through weak ears: the first time I'd seen his face... the way it felt when he'd held me in the meadow... the sound of his voice through the darkness of my faltering consciousness when he'd saved me from James... his face as he waited under a canopy of flowers to marry me... every precious moment from the island... his cold hands touching our baby through my skin...

And the sharp memories, perfectly recalled: his face when I'd opened my eyes to my new life, to the endless dawn of immortality... those first kisses... those first nights...

His lips, suddenly fierce against mine, broke my concentration.

With a gasp, I lost my grip on the struggling weight I was holding away from myself. It snapped back like stressed elastic, protecting my thoughts once again.

"Oops, lost it!" I sighed.

"I _heard_ you," he breathed. "How? How did you do that?"

"When Stephenie was here, she opened me up to the possibility. I've been practicing ever since."

He was dazed. He blinked twice and shook his head.

"Now you know," I said lightly, and shrugged. "No one's ever loved anyone as much as I love you."

"You're almost right." He smiled, his eyes still a little wider than usual. "I know of just one exception."

"Liar."

He started to kiss me again, but then stopped abruptly.

"Can you do it again?" he wondered.

I grimaced. "It's very difficult."

He waited, his expression eager.

"I can't keep it up if I'm even the slightest bit distracted," I warned him.

"I'll be good," he promised.

I pursed my lips, my eyes narrowing. Then I smiled.

I pressed my hands to his face again, hefted the shield right out of my mind, and then started in where I'd left off – with the crystal-clear memory of those first nights of my new life... lingering on the details.

I laughed breathlessly when his urgent kiss interrupted my efforts again.

"Damn it," he growled, kissing hungrily down the edge of my jaw.

"We have plenty of time to work on it," I reminded him.

"Forever and forever and forever," he murmured.

"That sounds exactly right to me."

And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever.

The End.

**A/N - Thank you guys soooooo much for sticking with me this far! I hope I didn't leave anything out that should have been there. Please please please review!**


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